Skin care has been practiced for thousands of years, dating back to the Ancient Egyptians. Cleopatra was known for her skin car regimen, and is said to have discovered some of the first anti-aging methods. Skin care has evolved through the years with every generation being eager to slow, prevent or reverse the aging process.
Countless skin care products are commercially available for beautification of the skin and to fight wrinkle formation. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,969 discloses a composition for reducing the depth or intensity of fine wrinkles in skin affected by intrinsic or photo-induced aging. The topical formulation described by U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,969 is comprised of ascorbic acid, tyrosine and a non-toxic zinc salt and is preferably formulated in a hydrophilic ointment or cream base. This composition is reported to be effective for the treatment of aging or photo-damaged skin and in reducing wrinkles.
The effectiveness of all skin care products is normally contingent upon delivery of the active ingredients therein through the stratum corneum and viable epidermis into the dermis layer of the skin structure. This is because the active ingredients in the skin care product cannot be effective unless they penetrate through the dead layers of skin tissue and into the dermis layer of living skin cells. This is normally a difficult proposition for water soluble active ingredients, such as ascorbic acid, because the stratum corneum is a good water barrier. The stratum corneum and viable epidermis act to protect the body by holding water therein to prevent dehydration and by keeping external water which is frequently contaminated out of the body.